MATTHEW WHALE FROM BRACKNELL BANNED FROM TEACHING INDEFINITELY FOLLOWING SEXUAL MISCONDUCT

A former physical education teacher, Matthew Whale, who taught at Easthamstead Park Community School in Bracknell from January 2001, has been permanently barred from teaching after admitting to a sexual relationship with a pupil. Whale was suspended in November 2007 amid misconduct allegations and resigned in January 2008. On September 21, 2023, Whale submitted a referral in which he confessed to having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a student, identified as Pupil A, during the years 2001 to 2003. He admitted to treating Pupil A more favorably than other students by spending time alone with her in his office, collecting her from school, driving her home, and exchanging personal phone numbers. Whale told Pupil A that he loved her and invited her to his home, where they engaged in sexual intercourse. He acknowledged that Pupil A remained on the school roll throughout their relationship and was aware of her age and student status. Whale also admitted to taking her to cinemas, restaurants, and theme parks without informing the school to avoid disciplinary action. According to Pupil A's statement, Whale was described as "controlling," taking steps to prevent her from telling friends and finding various ways to avoid detection, such as taking her out of the area for dinner or hiding in cinema toilets when another teacher was nearby. As their relationship developed, Whale's behavior grew more distant, but he continued to contact her, often threatening to visit or claiming he had crashed his car to get her attention. This caused her significant distress, leading her to eventually cut off all communication. She recognized that Whale had exploited her and was encouraged to report him to the police, which she did. The relationship negatively affected her mental health and her capacity to form healthy adult relationships. A disciplinary panel confirmed that Whale’s conduct was sexually motivated and unacceptable for a teacher. As a result, Whale has been banned from teaching indefinitely and is disqualified from working in any educational or youth care roles across England.